Pertamina may farm in E. Kalimantan deepwater blocks

State oil and gas company PT. Pertamina may acquire interest in farm in deep water blocks in Makassar Strait controlled by companies linked to Malaysian tycoon Ananda Khrisnan, a company senior official said Tuesday.

“There are possibilities that Pertamina may acquire interest in Papalang and Popodi blocks, but the talks are still at early stage,’ said Pertamina upstream director Bambang Nugroho.

Ananda Krishnan controlled companies, Zodan NV and Zudavi NV won Papalang and Popodi deepwater blocks in 2001. Three wells are planned to be drilled in both blocks in the next three years.

Zodan currently has 31 percent interest in both blocks.Other interest holders in both blocks are Australian oil company Santos Limited (20 percent), US oil firm Unocal corp. (24 percent) and Italian oil firm AGIP (25 percent)

Pertamina on Tuesday also signed an MoU with another Ananda Krishnan controlled company Tately NV, which has just been awarded Palmerah onshore block in South Sumatra. Under the MoU, both companies agreed to negotiate to jointly explore the block.(alex)